Tag Archives: True Christians

by Guestspeaker | 2022/11/17 · 3:52 pm

Culture War Christianity in American history

In this article, you might find our comments on our previously published articles about Culture War Christians

A Theology of Culture War Christianity

What are the Culture Wars?

Think of “culture” as a way of life. It is the sum total of all values, beliefs, and practices making up a communal existence. When God commissions newly formed humanity in Genesis 1 to “fill the earth and subdue it”, he sets men and women into the world with a cultural mandate. His plan was for a human society, united under his rule in the world, ruling with him over the Cosmos as his vice-regents. {What Are The Culture Wars?}

Karl Marx saw how main religion tried to lure people in the ban of the church by false doctrines. It is because the majority of people did not take the time to read the Bible that so many religious groups were able to get people following their false doctrines.

Regularly, people were so prayed for by those doctrines of those churches that they no longer faced the real thing because they preferred to float on those ideas of those churches. It had become so bad that Marx also realised that for many, religion was like an ‘opium for the people’. In lots of Christian and Islamic denominations, their church leaders managed to have their followers, following and worshipping a wrong god and not following the real Christ. since his time still not much has been changed, and there are still lots of false teachers and false prophets around. Marx was disturbed by the knowledge that he saw so many people around him falling for those false human teachings and giving their money away to those churches when there were so many people around them suffering. Marx also noted few dared to question, let alone challenge, church doctrines.

It also bothered several thinkers in the 19th century that the church made no attempt to defend the majority of their churchgoers or parishioners, and did not stand up against the exploitation of parishioners. For far too many centuries, the Roman Catholic Church itself had done everything possible to trot out money from the poorer population.

The German revolutionary, sociologist, historian, and economist, Karl Marx and his closest collaborator, the German socialist philosopher Friedrich Engels’ answer to the ills of society was according to some, just the opposite of the utopian dreamers’ answers. Mainly this, because the ideas of utopists (like Mr. Ampe) seem for many too far-fetched and unreachable. Though Marx and Engels found enough people who, like them, believed that one could change the way people lived and could come to a better world with less inequality. They, too, went for a better world.

Since World War I the world has evolved incredibly on all levels. Politically it was a time of trying out several political systems, getting more than once in a lot of problems and crises. The Western world clinched at the industrialisation and experienced mixed economies floating between all kinds of political thoughts. Even as the western world became less religious and the church got less of a grip on its citizens, the rich continued to control everything and did everything they could to maintain their power.

For Jared Stacy we have come into a Culture War Christianity where elections are consistently framed He looks at legislation, movies, businesses, etc. as affecting the survival of Christianity itself. For him such

hyperbolic rhetoric is typical. {What Are The Culture Wars?}

For him it is clear that Christ should be at the centre of Christianity. But he also expects something for those who call themselves Christian. He writes

When Jesus prayed,

“on earth as it is on heaven”

he was indicating his expectation and desire that the culture of Heaven becomes the culture of Earth by way of his Church. But does Culture War Christianity, the sort launched in the ’70s, contradict the nature of Jesus’ Kingdom? {What Are The Culture Wars?}

So many people had looked forward to the 20th century, hoping that because of all the new inventions, brought forward by the Industrial Revolution, they would be able to create a world where everything would be much easier and giving them more time to relax. The century opened with great hope but also with some apprehension, for the new century marked the final approach to a new millennium. For many, humankind was entering upon an unprecedented era. The English novelist, journalist, sociologist, and historian H.G. Wells’s utopian studies, the aptly titled Anticipations of the Reaction of Mechanical and Scientific Progress upon Human Life and Thought (1901) and A Modern Utopia (1905), both captured and qualified this optimistic mood and gave expression to a common conviction that science and technology would transform the world in the century ahead.

Already before the seventies of the previous century there was something going wrong in the industrialised world. Even though many countries were allowed to offer independence back to their colonies, they continued to exploit people in their own countries. Even when churches wanted to present God in different ways over the years, people should know That God never changes. He will always be the same and keep to the same Plan He had already from the beginning of times.

The American pastor and current PhD candidate in Theological Ethics at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, Jared Stacy
wants to call our attention to this basic theological ethic:

The work of God’s rule spreading throughout the world in individual lives and communities will never contradict who God is. {What Are The Culture Wars?}

We would have loved that, but reality shows something totally different. For centuries, the main Christian churches have chosen another path than the disciples of Christ. The majority of people preferred to keep to their heathen traditions and festivals and the Catholic and several Protestant churches followed them and made Jesus Christ (the Messiah) their god. As such, we must say there is a lot of contradiction in what people say God is. For many, He is not the God of Christ, Who is the God of Israel, but is a god who is part of a three-headed godship, the Trinity.

It is not just that difference of who God is and who Christ is that has brought division in the world of believers. The diversity of religious groups has also brought both confusion and discord. Coming closer to the 21st-century tension or strife resulting from a lack of agreement came to bring even more separation between the true followers of the Nazarene Jewish masterteacher Jeshua ben Joseph (Jesus Christ) and the name-Christians who worship Jesus as their god and do not shy away from also worshipping all kinds of people they call saints, this while the One True God desires full recognition and worship.

We have the impression that the blog writer who also writes for platforms like NPR, the BBC, Current, and For the Church, does not see (or does not know) the multiple camps in Christendom. He only mentions two of them. He writes

To speak generally, mischaracterizations come from two camps. Let’s call one group “conscientious objectors” and the other, “vocal advocates”.

Some accuse conscientious objectors to the Culture Wars of believing that Christianity should have no influence in the public square. They slander these conscientious objectors as faithless & godless, or misrepresent them as conspiratorially hypocritical, secretly harboring a progressive political agenda.

On the other end of the spectrum, some conscientious objectors accuse vocal advocates of conflating Christianity with cultural power. This often leads them to slander vocal advocates as compromising sell-outs, or mischaracterize their advocacy & well-connected influence as grounded in an inherently complicit conservative agenda. No doubt, I believe there are instances of legitimate criticisms from boths sides in Christian spaces. But polarity abounds. {What Are The Culture Wars?}

For him the polarizing gap between vocal advocates and conscientious objectors reveals a vast “no man’s land” in American evangelicalism. This is why he believes his series has pastoral and personal implications for all of us.

Because either you or someone you know is wandering the no man’s land as a refugee from the Culture Wars. {What Are The Culture Wars?}

Many American evangelicals are proud that they (so-called) keep to The 10 Commandments, though all of them already sin against the first commandment, not keeping to The Only One True God, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah of hosts, the God above all gods.

David Hansen correctly says

“The majority of Americans will tell any pollster that they believe in the Ten Commandments. But only a small percentage of those people could even recite the Ten Commandment; and even a smaller percentage have any genuine interest in following them.” {The 10 Commandments in American Culture}

Lots of North Americans should seriously think about their religion and their faith. About that faith Stacy says there is a danger.

On a day of hope, we need a fresh reminder of the danger inherent in an embrace of Christian faith. {The Danger of Faith}

He points out the trap many Americans have fallen into.

It is American consumer Christianity that invites us to “make Jesus Lord of our lives”. This pitch makes Christ a commodity, leaving us—the consumer—with control. The resurrection and ascension is a coronation that happens apart from our consumer choice & control. {The Danger of Faith}

1909 painting The Worship of Mammon, the god of material wealth, by Evelyn De Morgan

The great part of the US population, as well as in other developed countries, is that believers have deviated from Biblical truth as well as become wedded to matter and thus actually honour the god Mammon. Several denominations in the United States make clever use of asking people for money all the time, pretending that they will then have a better life. It has also become so ingrained in people that one can only be successful if one has acquired a lot of money. Consequently, many do everything possible to be as rich as possible (on the material plane) while completely neglecting spiritual wealth. Many have forgotten that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.

Stacy writes

It is hard to deny today that for many, the supposed downfall of America is synonymous with the collapse of Christianity. Jesus confronts this idolatry with his Kingdom. {The Danger of Faith}

Lots of Americans are even not aware of how they participate in idolatry, which they prove by continually clinging to pagan festivals such as Candlemas, Easter, Halloween and Christmas, to name only the main ones, and to cling to money and material gain.

He reigns over a Kingdom that cannot be shaken through the rising and falling empires of this world. {The Danger of Faith}

And throughout history, many kingships or kingdoms and principalities as well as republics have risen and fallen. Never before has man succeeded in creating a nation or empire in which everyone was comfortable and where justice was done to everyone. Several Christians, in imitation of Christ, have tried to make people understand how best to live in unity with fellow human beings, plants and animals.

The 1963 March on Washington participants and leaders marching from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial, as mass protest movement against racial segregation and discrimination in the southern United States that came to national prominence during the mid-1950s.

When we look at the German culture struggle of the 1870’s (kulturkampf) it’s clear that the American Civil Rights movement was a “Culture War” too. King’s commitment to non-violence laid a distinct Christian foundation for the Civil Rights movement. But white evangelicals of the time either distanced themselves from King, or denounced the Civil Rights movement entirely, with calls to “just preach the gospel.” {A History Of The Culture Wars}

writes Stacy.

But not many white Americans were really willing to go to preach what was really written in the gospel. They prefer just to take some phrases out of context to repeat them so that people come to believe them.

The forty odd years from this origin point until today witnessed the end of the Cold War and an insurrection at the US Capitol. Between these bookends, Culture War Christianity made itself known & felt in American society through movements. (See, Kristin Kobes Du Mez, Jesus and John Wayne; Stan Gall, Borderlines: Reflections on Sex, War, and the Church; Frances Fitzgerald, The Evangelicals; Tim Gloege, Guaranteed Pure; historical treatments on these movements) {A History Of The Culture Wars}

Stacy reminds his readers:

The arguments and relationships in the antebellum South were transported via Lost Cause theology 100 years into the future, seen in white evangelical responses to the Civil Rights Movement. But these leaders could not ignore the impact of King’s kulturkampf. {A History Of The Culture Wars}

He assures his readers that

Culture War Christianity started after the Civil Rights Movement, not before. It borrows the playbook of the CRM. Ironically, it thrives on a sort of “persecuted minority” mindset, borrowed from the Civil Rights movement, but not actually indicative of the communal experience in its main constituents: white evangelicals. A minority mindset is a prominent characteristic of God’s people in the Scriptures. However, this mindset is not characteristic of evangelical experience in the United States. Race relations and evangelical’s historic participation in the moral establishment offer two historical keys that present a necessary critique of modern Culture War Christianity. {A History Of The Culture Wars}

He believes it is impossible to understand the history behind Culture War Christianity apart from race relations in the United States. So, we begin where we left off, with this statement:

The Culture Wars began when white American evangelicals took the activist playbook from the very Civil Rights leaders they opposed, to advance a moral agenda they could support.

…

Some were overtly political, like the Moral Majority or Christian Coalition. Others would serve the notion of family values, yet retain political influence, like Focus on the Family or Promise Keepers. Local churches and expansive media (books, radio, television) formed the local grassroots communities made these movements possible.

While this all may seem quite familiar, especially if you inhabited spaces within white American Christianity during the last 40 years, a history of the Culture Wars would be best served by going back 2 centuries to look at the phrase “Culture War” itself. {A History Of The Culture Wars}

In his blog he then goes back to the 19th century, across the Atlantic Ocean where the Germans provide us with a glimpse into a framework upstream to both the Civil Rights Movement and “Culture War Christianity” at a time when a new world order was being born. In that era, he recognises the central position of the Catholic Church, facing new threats to its grasp on power.

From the political power of the nation- state to the intellectual frameworks of liberalism and Darwinism, the winds were shifting. In response, the Church produced a flurry of theological statements and denouncements meant to stem the tide of ideas that threatened its hold on the Old World Order. {A History Of The Culture Wars}

Portrait of Pope Pius IX circa 1864

The Holy See under Pope Pius IX on 8 December 1864, brought an appendix to the Quanta cura encyclical, with a syllabus where the church wanted to have the people see that it was with the times and recognised 80 of the

“principal errors of our times.”

As the errors listed had already been condemned in allocutions, encyclicals, and other apostolic letters, the Syllabus said nothing new and so could not be contested. Its importance lay in the fact that it published to the world what had previously been preached in the main only to the bishops, and that it made general what had been previously specific denunciations concerned with particular events. Perhaps the most famous article, the 80th, stigmatising as an error the view that

“the Roman Pontiff can and should reconcile himself to and agree with progress, liberalism, and modern civilisation,”

sought its authority in the pope’s refusal, in Jamdudum Cernimus, to have any dealings with the new Italian kingdom. On both scores, the Syllabus undermined the liberal Catholics’ position, for it destroyed their following among intellectuals and placed their program out of court.

The Church denounced religious liberty, the nation-state, and other consequences stemming from the “threat of liberalism.” {A History Of The Culture Wars}

For some time there had been bumbling or difficulty in having a good relationship with the Catholic Church. More thinkers also came to speak out about the huge profits the Church was making on the backs of the faithful. Increasingly, there was also the idea of going back to the basics of Christ’s teachings where simplicity was preached and people were taught how to stand up for and care for each other. In the gospel, Jesus set a good example of how not only Christians should live, but actually every human being.

In the 1870’s, the German people, specifically within the Kingdom of Prussia, found themselves in conflict with the Catholic Church over their own Reformation roots and a rapidly secularizing order. This conflict had ramifications for both the Church and the separated German states. As a result of this conflict swirling around the German peoples, individual German States united along highly Protestant lines under Otto Von Bismark of Prussia. (See, Helmut Walser Smith, editor, The Oxford Handbook of Modern German History) This period of conflict and change was given a name: Kulturkampf, or “Culture Struggle”. This German kulturkampf shows us how struggles between competing visions for human existence are sparked by complex reactions between religion, politics, and power. {A History Of The Culture Wars}

It is the clash between people of the common people, as well as philosophers and political thinkers, with the church, that caused very animated conversations in several places in the German Empire about faith, church, and the way we as human beings should choose to arrive at a better world.

After World War II several American religious groups tried to have the power over the American people. They tried to convince them that they were the sole church which preached the truth. Some even went so far to tell the people they were chosen by God and that their church is the only one that can bring them in heaven. For those churches, it is certain that one can only be accepted by God if one follows their rules. Of course, such a saying is absurd, but a large majority of Americans follow that false statement. In the life of faith, it is also certain that no particular church by Jesus was ever designated as the only one to follow.

By studying German kulturkampf, we can begin to see the American Culture War’s false claim to exclusivity and authority by claiming itself to be the sole representative and defender of orthodox Christianity. When we realize this — that American Culture War Christianity is not the single defender of the faith — it trains us to adopt a healthy critical filter every time a Christian leader describes the “very survival of Christianity at stake” as a smoke screen for unChristian agreements with power. On the other hand, conscientious objectors to Culture War Christianity would do well to consider how “culture struggle” might be a positive expression of Christian faith. There is space to consider positive “culture struggle”. {A History Of The Culture Wars}

King’s kulturkampf was rooted in Christian principles, and sought to dismantle the injustices of racial segregation, subjugation and discrimination within America. With the upcoming of the more conservative Christians, and/or conservative evangelicals, the position between coloured people worsened again and nationalism and (far) right-wing ideas came to the forefront in the States, the same way they did in the 1930s in Europe. Thus, from Europe, we could see the very dangerous development of right-wing rule and the glorification of such despots as Donald Trump, who is a danger to the world.

What would come to define and shape Culture War Christianity in 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s in the US is not at all what King and several serious preachers had in mind. The growing conservatism by the Americans brought forward people who are against equality and who find the white man is the pure race. Even Billy Graham came to criticise segregation but also denounced the non-violent demonstrations as contributing to further violence.

Others denounced calls for desegregation entirely. Back in 1960, Bob Jones Sr. took harder lines at Christians supporting an end to segregation by referring to them as “religious infidels”. {A History Of The Culture Wars}

Several pastors of mega-churches, especially in white neighbourhoods, succeeded in shifting all the faults of the system onto the backs of the blacks and refugees who just’ came and invaded America’, without the government doing enough to stop them. One would think the religious leaders would have their moral reasoning to flow from a theological calculus, but it (for sure) did not come from Biblical teaching.

Stacy writes

Charles Ivory’s masterful Proslavery Christianity examines the white evangelical relationship with black evangelicals before the Civil War. He looks at how these interactions between white and black Christians, slave and free, actually came to shape the white evangelical theological defense of slavery. If we want to understand the Culture War Christianity of Falwell, and other white evangelicals, we need to examine their response to the Civil Rights Movement. I believe their response has its source in the theological calculus of white evangelicals in the antebellum South. {A History Of The Culture Wars}

Ivory writes it was not uncommon for white and black evangelicals to worship within the same church. Indeed, the revival of the late 18th century did not discriminate on the basis of cultural background. But the theological conflict in evangelical churches pre-Civil War centered around conversion. Namely, does Christian conversion necessitate manumission? Today, Christians would argue chattel slavery is indefensible regardless of a slave’s conversion to Christianity. Humanity is not property. However, the historical context of the time made the question of conversion and manumission the frontline theological conflict regarding chattel slavery within evangelical churches. {A History Of The Culture Wars}

In West Europe the people had gone already through that process, knowing that slavery was something one could not accept in a civilised society. On this, several speakers came to draw attention to a system to bring more equality among all people. The road to socialism and communism was thus promoted by several enthusiasts.

Culture War Christianity has long since ossified into the de facto expression of faith for many white American evangelicals.

But those white American Christians have come to love themselves more than someone else and consider themselves as the only ones worthy to govern America. They do not have an eye at all for the indigenous people, because they consider themselves as the rightful founders and owners of America.

For 200 years, white evangelicalism has been an insider. No where has the minority mindset been more pervasive in our modern conception of Culture War Christianity than rhetoric. Phrases like “drain the swamp”, “make America great again”, and “take back America for God” in evangelical politics go right next to “that’s too political” and “just preach the gospel” in evangelical churches. {A History Of The Culture Wars}

We can wonder from who those evangelicals have to take back ‘their country’! Those evangelicals seem not to have any idea what the ‘founders’ of America had in mind and why they wanted religion and government separated.

While separation of church and state was federally enshrined in the Constitution, it did not play out in those strict terms in state and local governments. This changed in the early 20th century, when the Scopes trial, New Deal politics, and internal theological warring between fundamentalists and modernists left a vacuum in American society that evangelicalism used to fill in common culture. Neo-evangelicals like Billy Graham emerged in this vacuum. But for the long of American history, Christians have not only been influential, but privileged.

How can a privileged majority come to see itself as a minority? Culture War Christianity accomplishes this in part by dressing itself in the Biblical and theological concept of a remnant. A faithful few of God’s people who remain loyal to God and his ways in a foreign, godless land. But this theological adaptation does not line up with the historical participation of white evangelicals in the moral establishment of the United States. Yet, the drums of Culture War for white American Christians implied a greater enemy beyond its borders. {A History Of The Culture Wars}

Though the big problem of those Tea Party and conservative or fundamentalist evangelicals is that they are not at all remaining “loyal to God and his ways in a foreign, godless land” they even have betrayed God and His son on several levels. They have created some three-headed god (or three-une being) and political leaders such as Trump as their gods, and consider their American flag as their religious symbol^{even a Christian symbol}. For sure they can not belong to the faithful few of God’s people, because they do not believe in the Only One True God and because they do not act like People of God. They themselves are part of that ‘dark world’ the Bible is talking about. And now in those times that darkness and of gloominess can be seen everywhere, they also do everything to create division and spread hate, instead of spreading the love of Christ and his great message of a world full of peace. Those evangelicals with other name Christians have made it a sport to make fun of, blacken and curse true Christians. They do everything possible to get people away from those true worshippers of God. They also have some sort of paranoia and consider all people from abroad as dangerous suspects. They fear those coming from outside America would destroy their freedom.

Stacy remarks

the drums of Culture War for white American Christians implied a greater enemy beyond its borders. {A History Of The Culture Wars}

and also see what happened under the influence of certain political figures.

The Culture Wars of white American evangelicalism was not the reaction of the minority against the majority, but the majority against a imagined majority. It is hard to avoid this conclusion given overwhelming support for President Trump. {A History Of The Culture Wars}

Stacy continues writing

In the place of Jesus’ active reign today, we find American Christians given to other reigning power structures: nationalism, racism, misogyny, and bigotry. They are discipled by political—not resurrection—power. This is partly the reason why Culture War Christians took greater issue with Kaepernick’s supposed desecration of the flag than they might with his concerns over police brutality against image bearers. They operate in a power structure other than the Kingdom of Jesus. {A Theology of Culture War Christianity}

Stacys wonders

What if Culture War Christianity long ago bowed the knee to a nationalist, secular conservatism? One with its law & order politics, reticence on issues of race, and idolatry of country? {Beyond the Culture Wars}

Ans says that he has argued this in his series.

Long before white evangelicals told MLK to “just preach the gospel”, there has always been a Christianity domesticated by, and deployed in defense of, the status quo in this country. Frederick Douglass called it before any of us. And in this sort of Christianity, “make disciples” has too often been code for “make people like us” not “make us like Jesus”. {Beyond the Culture Wars}

There lies one of the biggest problems in American Christendom. The majority of Americans does not take time enough to seriously study the Scriptures. For most of them the Bible also only means the New Testament. Lots of those evangelicals also do not understand what that sacrificial offering of Jesus, letting himself be nailed at the stake, means. For them it is very difficult to grasp how a man of flesh and blood could give himself as a lamb for whitewashing the sins of many.

Some of those white evangelicals living in the United States of America are convinced they are the only ones who can Make America Great Again and build up the most correct state. They forget how so many people before them have tried already to construct an ideal state. They should know it shall only happen under Jesus Christ that we shall be able to live in a perfect world.

Let us also not forget Niebuhr’s saying,

“any good worth doing takes more than one lifetime.”

According to Jared Stacy

This should give us pause before we entertain pragmatism to bring about change in our lifetime. It was Jesus who said,

“what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his soul?”

This should give us pause as we count the cost of pragmatism to reveal the Kingdom of God. {Beyond the Culture Wars}

He ends his article series by saying

After all, the cross is not a symbol of cultural superiority for white America, but of surrender and sacrifice in the Kingdom of God. We must measure our motivations by the Cross, and our methods. Take it from me. A millennial. The generation who was born in and shaped by the ‘Jesus & John Wayne evangelicalism” in its prime. {Beyond the Culture Wars}

And recognises the problem

Culture War Christianity allows you to have a Christian worldview and reject the Cross. {Beyond the Culture Wars}

By which he hopefully means: rejecting the ransom offering of that Jewish Nazarene master teacher, Jeshua ben Josef, or Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

It substitutes other, more pragmatic means to really get things done. But in the Kingdom of Jesus the only strategy available for implementing a Christian worldview is the Cross. {Beyond the Culture Wars}

We have to do away with the false teaching in Christendom and have to go back to the Biblical teachings and keep to them, adhering to Biblical Truth and not human doctrine.

We should recognise the danger of that growing conservative evangelism.

For all it’s posturing about the morality of America, Culture War Christianity has stopped its ear to calls for ethnic & economic justice. Has tied its hands in response to sexual scandal and abuse in its ranks. Yet expresses incredulity when the world fails to take its sexual ethic seriously. Culture War Christianity can only provide more entrenchment, more combat, and more pragmatism. But crucified Christianity is growing the world over, and—as it has always done— turning the world upside down. {Beyond the Culture Wars}

Writing from Scotland, the author of the mentioned articles, wants to suggest a simple but humble invitation to venture into the wilderness as an act of faithfulness. For him,

the wilderness meant stepping out of the American pastorate, and out of America. This was my move made in faith. An attempt to combat the rise of cynicism in my own spirit, channeling it into meaningful, faithful action. {Beyond the Culture Wars}

From Moses, to Elijah, to Christ. Perhaps the wilderness is the place for those disenchanted and disillusioned, those disowned and disinherited from Culture War Christianity, to begin to see the Cross not as a symbol storming the US Capitol, but again as a place where our power grabs go to die. And where there is death to our ability to bring about change, God brings resurrection that changes everything. {Beyond the Culture Wars}

The Austrian philosopher and Roman Catholic priest known for his radical polemics arguing that the benefits of many modern technologies and social arrangements were illusory and that, still further, such developments undermined humans’ self-sufficiency, freedom, and dignity, Ivan Illich illumines what it is to be in the world, but not of it — just like Jesus.

Jared Stacy offers his words as a simple reflection in the conclusion to his series:

It is astonishing what the devil says: I have all power, it has been given to me, and I am the one to hand it on — submit, and it is yours. Jesus of course does not submit…Not for a moment, however, does Jesus contradict the devil. He does not question that the devil holds all power, nor that this power has been given to him, nor that he, the devil, gives it to whom he pleases. This is a point which is easily overlooked. By his silence Jesus recognizes power that is established as “devil” and defines Himself as The Powerless. He who cannot accept this view on power cannot look at establishments through the spectacle of the Gospel. This is what clergy and churches often have difficulty doing. They are so strongly motivated by the image of church as a “helping institution” that they are constantly motivated to hold power, share in it or, at least, influence it. {Beyond the Culture Wars}

Please also do find to read

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by Guestspeaker | 2022/06/03 · 12:54 pm

Sometimes people are not sure if it is God calling

Often one can wonder

Is God calling me to do it or not.

This was also a question a blogger found.

The reason she started blogging, she explains:

When a conversation started with someone asking for opinions on a hypothetical situation, it soon became clear that all views were welcome except for Christian. {To Blog Or Not To Blog?…}

This is something a Christian often encounters on social media. We notice lots of aversions as soon as some person reacts from a Christian point of view. A blog writer who learned about how the Dutch watchmaker, Christian writer and public speaker Corrie ten Boom and her family worked with other underground workers in the Resistance, helping many Jewish people during WW II, felt she could be a mentor for her. When she had a shocking experience at the level of hostility toward the few of them who answered from a Christian viewpoint, while taking part in a Facebook group, as a result of that event, a few people left the group, but she prayed about it and believed that God wanted her to stay and be a light in the group.

Often we do not see such interference from God straight ahead, but it is such, at first, unnoticeable or not seeming so important occasion, that makes an important difference. She writes:

Partly due to the unpleasant experience, I came to the realization that today’s public forum is online and as a follower of Jesus I need to be there. {To Blog Or Not To Blog?…}

Next step on the journey was starting the Facebook page Every day with the King.

Though, her blog and Facebook page may at certain moments be very confusing, she lots of times refers to God, Who is the eternal Elohim Hashem Jehovah, and at other places gives the impression she considers her king Jesus, the son of God. It is a common but non acceptable fault.

It had taken some time and hesitation before she started her website/blog. She confesses

When I first started blogging, I wasn’t completely sure if it was God calling me to do it or not. I had some pretty strong indications that I was on the right track early on but plenty of doubts at the same time. I know that is very typical and to be expected when stepping out to go where God is leading. {To Blog Or Not To Blog?…}

Sometimes it will take some time before people really shall see the full Truth. Everybody has to grow in the faith. Often it is not easy, certainly not when brought up in a certain Trinitarian faith. It is difficult to let lose those non-biblical teachings of Trinitarian churches, when has been brought up in such a system that clinches to the Trinity.

But, there is always hope, because it is God Who calls and pulls. It is also God Who gives the talents to people, and when we look at her site, we can see she has received a marvellous talent for creating beautiful inspirational designs or devotion cards.

At one of her first blog articles, she wrote:

Next, there seemed to be a converging of events that opened my eyes and heart to what the Lord had been whispering to me for a while. I became solidly convinced that this is God’s will for me at this time. It has been a process moving from asking to blog or not to blog, to declaring I’m willing to serve in whatever way God chooses to work through me. {To Blog Or Not To Blog?…}

That is the right attitude a true Christian should take. Having become under Christ, one has to give oneself totally to the heavenly Father. By giving oneself to Christ and his heavenly Father, the Only One True God, one shall be able to grow in faith, get more wisdom, and come closer to God.

Looking at some of her writings we notice she still has to learn to see the difference between God and Christ and getting the difference between giving glory to Christ (=son of God) and giving glory to God.

The blogwriter might have a secret determination to concentrate entirely on Jesus Christ (the Messiah), but still has come to see that Jesus is the send one from God, who by God was declared to be His beloved son, authorised to speak and act in His Name.

When as a Christian blogger, we want to preach on the net, it is important that we do that work in the Name of God, trying to persuade men to search and find God, not by seeking to please men, but for giving honour to the right person and to please God.

She and all those who want to proclaim on the net should always remember for when we still want to please men by keeping to their traditions, instead of pointing the finger at the wounds of mankind and wrong ideas, we would not be a bondservant of Christ.

“For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I had till now pleased men, I should not have been a servant of the Messiah. — ” (Ga 1:10 Murdock)

Passover 7 days of meditation opening a way to conversion

Immanuel Verbondskind looks back at the lockdown period and the impact on the small Jeshuaist community and some Jewish communities. For Jews it has even been more difficult to undergo the lockdown, because many do have no television or internet and have been in a real-time strict isolation, not being able to have worship moments with brethren and sisters.

Those times of seclusion and restriction could be called a ‘reflection time‘ or retreat, where one had enough time to think about faith and religion. On the 15th of April this year (2022) it was 14 Nisan, the evening to remember the liberation of God’s People from the enslavement in Egypt, but also to remember the gathering of Jeshua and his disciples, where at the last supper Jesus talked about the blood being shed for the liberation of all people.

In Wintertime, many Christians celebrate Christmas and have some holiday, where they also can think about the light that came in the darkness. For true Christians and for Jews, 14-22 Nisan is the most sacred period of the religious year, where is remembered how the Elohim brought to light in the dark night by passing over the houses where there was the blood of the lamb, giving the opportunity for the Jews to flee their world of slavery in Egypt.

True Christians with Jeshuaists remember also the Passover lamb Jeshua (Jesus Christ) and show their gratitude for the salvation by the Grace of God, Him accepting that ransom Jesus was willing to pay for all people.

Since Friday night Jeshuaists and Christadelphians, like other true Christians, since some long time of isolation because of lockdown, could at some places get together (in restricted form) and make connections with other brothers and sisters, either in place or via the internet streaming. Many, the previous time in isolation got lots of opportunities to think about the value of such a connection or ‘fraternity‘. They had enough time in the lockdown period to think about their religious affiliation, and some also about their need to go over into a conversion. Because the last few months, more signs could be seen that we are entering a new period in the Time of Ages or in God’s Plan.

Because of those “Signs of the Times” there has come a certain pressure to know what to do and which direction to go. Now many more ask themselves who shall be part of the things going to be there after the big battle or great tribullation.

Several people have wondered in those Covid times if it would not be better to become part of a community. There also have been Jews by race or non-believing and non-practising Jews, who started to change ideas about the world and its Creator. The Jews from Middle European origin also started wondering by which denomination of Jews they would best join. Those people living here in Belgium, France, Holland and Germany wonder if they would convert to Judaism, if they then would be accepted as a Jew.

Anti-Zionists often claim that Ashkenazi Jews are white imposters, fake Jews who are entirely descended from European converts to Judaism. This is completely rebutted by genetic studies which have proven a Middle Eastern patrilineal origin for Ashkenazi Jewry. However, when the Anti-Zionists make the Apartheid accusation are Jews suddenly a single racial group. The notion that Jews generally constitute a racial group is Nazi in origin and is at the core of the Anti-Jewish Apartheid libel. {Why Many Ashkenazi Jews “Look” European}

There is a long history of the racialization of Jews. There have also been religious and non-religious Jews in several countries.

Racialization of Jews have a long pedigree in the history of Anti-Semitism. Racialization of Jews was practiced in Spain against the Anusim (“Marranos”), Jews who were involuntarily converted to Christianity during the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492. Racialization of Jews in Germany became prominent already in the second half of the 19th century when religious Anti-Semitism (Anti-Judaism) was increasingly supplanted by racializing Anti-Semitism. The third phase is the current racialization of Jews by the extreme left.

Racialization of Jews is intended to paint Jews as “genetic aliens” in a certain country (e.g. Spain, Germany or Israel). Of course painting any other people as “genetic aliens” is not socially acceptable beyond Nazi circles. But Anti-Semitic opponents of Israel systematically engage in discourse to stigmatize the Jews in the land of Israel as genetic aliens despite Ashkenazim, Sephardim and Mizrahim patrilineally being very very genetically similar to Palestinians due to common historical origin, with the genetic divergence accounted for by historical conversions to Judaism and by immigration to the land of Israel from other parts of the Middle East during the Islamic era.

Ashkenazim, Sephardim and Mizrahim are more similar to each other than to any other populations and are predominantly of Middle Eastern origin in genetically confirming the historical narrative of ancient Israelite origin. The Anti-Semitic accusation according to which Ashkenazi Jews are exclusively descended from European converts to Judaism despite that part of Ashkenazi ancestry accounting only for only 30% of the Ashkenazi gene pool with the remaining 70% being Middle Eastern in origin is used by Anti-Semites such as Palestinian-American professor of Columbia University Joseph Massad to libelously paint Israeli Jews as “European colonizers” and against the scientific consensus denying that most modern Israeli Jews are Levantine returnees to Israel. The false claim that Ashkenazi Jews are “European colonizers” is in fact one of the main claims involved in the Anti-Semitic racialization of Ashkenazi Jewry. {Jews are a Nation of Color}

After the covid pandemic several feel a greater need to come to connect with one or another Jewish or Jeshuaist denomination. Having been on their own, in their own living room, with nobody else to share the faith, was too lonely. Some, who were previously connected with a shul, lost contact but also interest to go to a prayer and study house. Though others have now, even more than ever before, felt the need to be connected to other fellow believers.

This Passover is for several an essential time to consider the way how God handled His People and how, also today, He is still willing to guide them through the desert of this (non-religious) world.

Some people take time to think about separation and isolation, and look at the lessons we get from the Scrolls that teach that the priests were deliberately separated from everyone else. They even couldn’t go to family funerals, like many could not in the Corona crisis. Their job was to remain separate from the people they served, which may sound strange. But their goal was to maintain their close connection with the Most High in purity or holiness.

To remain separate at all times isn’t healthy for anyone. All over the world many learned that all too well the last two years. this year many felt a great joy they were able again to come together with some friends to do like the apostles did, following up the permanent ordinance… a celebration for all of God’s people throughout all time, remembering Passover.

Find to read:

Times of seclusion, restriction, liberation, connection, religious affiliation and conversion

Preceding

Measure of loneliness whilst time drags

Adar 6, Matan Torah remembering the giving of Torah

Additional reading

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Tagged as 14 Nisan, 14-22 Nisan, 15° Century, Anti-Jewish Apartheid, Anti-Judaism, Anti-Semitism, Anti-Zionist(s), Anusim or Marranos, Ashkenazi Jews, Conversion to Judaism, Convert, Covid restriction(s), CoViD-19 pandemic, Erev Pesach (14 Nisan), European converts to Judaism, Fake Jews, Fellow believer(s), Fraternity, Goals, God's plan, Grace of Salvation, Immanuel Verbondskind, Immigration to the land of Israel, Internet, Internet streaming, Isolation, Israeli Jews, Jeshuaist community, Jeshuaist(s), Jewish communities, Jewish converts, Judaism, Last Supper, Levantine returnees, Liberation, Lockdown, Lockdown period, Mizrahi(m), Non-believing Jew(s), Non-practising Jew(s), Non-religious Jew(s), Pasach (Passover), Passover, Passover lamb, Racial group(s), Racialization of Jews, Ransom offer, Reflection time, Religious affiliation, Religious year, Salvation, Sephardi Jews, Signs, Signs of the Times, Spain, Television, True Christians, Worship moment(s)

by Relating to God | 2020/12/13 · 7:08 pm

Three basic commands

At the (internet) service this morning brother Eric Lowe spoke about people at first following up the CoViD-19 measures strictly. At the first lockdown, the governments of the West-European countries had been giving very clear instructions. That way lots of people kept to the measures and seemed to have fewer difficulties following those instructions than by the second lockdown.

When the governments started to relax the measures and then started giving different signals people started to get confused and we could see that many people were not any more prepared to follow the social restrictions. So many months after the beginning of the corona crisis, people start getting tired and less interested to listen to the advice of the epidemiologists.

In Christendom we can see a similar attitude as in the citizen world. Today we see a lot of people who are not so much interested in listening to wise, and even less to old and new sensible advice. Mr. Lowe said the less people are listening they go by, and remarked:

If you are not listening you can not hear.

And that is just the problem by a lot of people who call themselves Christian. We better would look to the examples in Scriptures, which would all make it so much easier to pass those difficult times of isolation.

If we care not to listen then our listening shuts down.

That is what we see what happened with lots of Christians, not to say with the majority. For many so-called Christians, there is not any more such a good connection with God. They have forgotten that the experience with God depends on our nearness to God and all that would happen in His presence. Many wait for God’s presence to happen, and in the meantime try out their own gods and saints to bow down for and pray for.

Billy Graham warned:

“God doesn’t want us to waste our latter years or spend them in superficial, meaningless pursuits. Instead, He wants us to use them in whatever ways we can to influence those who will come after us. God wants us to finish well. . . .”

When being a Christian people should be as a disciple of Christ, following his teachings and worshipping the same God a Christ. Though many, who call themselves Christian, do not worship the same God as Jesus Christ worshipped. They even do not want to accept the Words of God, Who Himself said that Jesus was His beloved son. God, Who is no liar, never said He is Jesus or never held back to say that He would be Jesus. In case God would be Jesus, then he would naturally have told the people around Jesus a lot of lies, but also to His prophets He would have told lies more than ones. Already in Jesus time, when there was a genuine and powerful work of God, men did not like to be apart from it, especially if they were religious leaders. Consequently we find both Pharisees and Sadducees coming to John’s baptism. He met them however with prophetic insight. He unmasked them as having the characteristics of the serpent, and warned them that wrath lay before them. He knew that they would boast of being in the proper Abrahamic succession, so he knocked that prop from beneath them, showing that it would not count with God. Nothing would do but repentance, and his baptism was with a view to that; but it must be genuine and manifest itself in fruits that were suitable. James, in his Epistle, insists that faith, if it is real and vital, must express itself in suitable works.

When Jesus got baptised the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, the God of Israel made clear who that Nazarene man standing in the river Jordan was:

3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of יהוה, make his paths straight. (Matt 3:3, NRKJV)

13 Then cometh Yahushua from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15 And Yahushua answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 16 And Yahushua, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of Elohim descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matt 3:13-17, NRKJV)

Some months later Jehovah would repeat it and say:

18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. 19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. 21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. (Matt 12:18-21, NRKJV)

Also today we are in times that many do not want to hear God’s Word and do give preference to words of theologians and people who say they are from God. But they are often wolves in sheep clothes and people fall for their words instead of believing the simple words of the Bible.

Though our brother Eric Lowe, had it this morning about man’s attitude in corona times, we can interpolate it also to the behaviour of many people who call themselves Christian today. The majority of those belonging to Christendom care not to listen to God’s Word. That makes their listening shuts down.

One example of a young girl (teniiiola) who writes:

I know that they’re two different people because the Bible makes it clear that Jesus is seated at the right side of God. Nevertheless, they are the same. As per, they are one. Praising God is equal to praising Jesus (one can’t even access God without Jesus anyway) and praising Jesus is the same as praising God. {comment on 4 misconceptions that need to be cleared about being a Christian.}

On one side she seems to understand that Jesus and God are two different persons. Though then she, like some other people, sees a proof of Jesus to be God, when is written:

that Jesus is seated at the right side of God

clearly not seeing and not understanding Jesus is not sitting on the throne of God, but is sitting next to God, which indicate he, as another person than God takes the place on the seat next to God.

For following up the Covid-rules simple messages worked, but as soon as complex messages were given confusion started to take master of many people. The same when in Christianity several teachers started using Roman-Greek philosophy and twisted several words of Christ, to please the people who were so used to heathen rites and festivals.

The young girl on her website also says:

Calling Jesus God does not equal to calling God’s name in vain…Jesus wasn’t even on Earth as at the time this instruction was given. {comment on 4 misconceptions that need to be cleared about being a Christian.}

giving the idea when people were not on earth when a Bible text was written the calling of their name as a god would not be wrong or would be acceptable. That is closing the eyes for reality and for the meaning of God’s Words. Those who have Madonna as their goddess today and honour her name are doing the same fault as those in ancient times, who honoured Apollo as their god.

Today with the pandemic lots of people are like in the wilderness. After Jesus his baptism, after God had declared him to be His son, this son of man also went into a wilderness. There he told the adversary of God “not to tempt God”, something we see many do. Lots of ministers and priests calling their flock to come to gather in their churches, not having to worry, because God would protect them. Some even dare to say:

Those people who are catching CoViD-19 are those who do not believe enough in Jesus, who saves all who believe in him.

The Bible tells us God can not be tempted and that man can do nothing to Him. But Jesus, all should know, was tempted more than once. When in the wilderness Jesus told a tempter:

7 Yahushua said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt יהוה thy Elohim. (Matt 4:7, NRKJV)

Those who say they are a Christian should pick up such words of Christ. They also should remember Jesus words when the tempter offered an opportunity for Jesus to be worshipped and praised:

10 Then saith Yahushua unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship יהוה thy Elohim, and him only shalt thou serve. (Matt 4:10, NRKJV)

Not Jesus should be worshipped, but all glory, worship and praise should be given to the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, the God Who is above all gods. From his time in the wilderness, we should remember three words as memory joggers. From the story of Jesus in the desert, we should remember three basic commands, which should be the fundamentals of Christian faith.

obey the commands
don’t test God
fear Jehovah God and worship only Him

A true lover of God can’t be double-minded and always shall take the following words of God at heart.

16 Ye shall not tempt יהוה your Elohim, as ye tempted him in Massah. (Deut 6:16, NRKJV)

Being in difficult days we should remember how God was with His people and how He is willing to be with us, in case we want to be with HIm.

8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. 10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: 11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. (Ps 95:8-11, NRKJV)

7 Wherefore (as the Holy Spirit saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, (Heb 3:7, NRKJV)

13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! (Ps 81:13, NRKJV)

29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! (Deut 5:29, NRKJV)

Jehovah God told very clearly to what we have to keep:

6 I am יהוה thy Elohim, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 7 Thou shalt have none other elohim before me. 8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: 9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I יהוה thy Elohim am a jealous El, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, 10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. 11 Thou shalt not take the name of יהוה thy Elohim in vain: for יהוה will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. (Deut 5:6-11, NRKJV)

Several who call themselves Christians have difficulty with

3 Thou shalt have no other elohim before me. (Exod 20:3, NRKJV)

and have taken Jesus as their god and as if that was not enough also have taken his mother as a goddess and several other human beings as saints to whom they pray and hope they shall fulfil some of their wishes. Praying to someone else than Jehovah God is also taking God’s Name in vain and desecrating it. Nobody should forget:

11 Who is like unto thee, O יהוה, among the mighty ones? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? (Exod 15:11, NRKJV)

24 O Sovereign יהוה, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what el is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might? (Deut 3:24, NRKJV)

Even Jesus who did such wonderworks could not do anything without God.

19 Then answered Yahushua and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. (John 5:19, NRKJV)

Jesus very well knew Who had saved his People and by Whom he could do all things he did. Jesus as the previous prophets feared and wanted to serve God.

11 And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; 12 Then beware lest thou forget יהוה, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 13 Thou shalt fear יהוה thy Elohim, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. 14 Ye shall not go after other elohim, of the elohim of the people which are round about you; 15 (For יהוה thy Elohim is a jealous El among you) lest the anger of יהוה thy Elohim be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth. 16 Ye shall not tempt יהוה your Elohim, as ye tempted him in Massah. 17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of יהוה your Elohim, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee. 18 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of יהוה: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which יהוה sware unto thy fathers. 19 To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as יהוה hath spoken. (Deut 6:11-19, NRKJV)

From his followers, Jesus also demanded that they would follow God’s commandments and that they would do God His Will, like Jesus also did God His Will. For following the commandments of God is for the good of man.

26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; 27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of יהוה your Elohim, which I command you this day: 28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of יהוה your Elohim, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other elohim, which ye have not known. (Deut 11:26-28, NRKJV)

15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of יהוה thy Elohim, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: (Deut 28:15, NRKJV)

The chosen ones by Christ also asked their followers to fulfil the Wish of God and warned what could happen to them who do not keep to God’s commandments.

8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, (Rom 2:8, NRKJV)

29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! (Deut 5:29, NRKJV)

As with Israel we should also know what Jesus and his God require from us.

12 And now, Israel, what doth יהוה thy Elohim require of thee, but to fear יהוה thy Elohim, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve יהוה thy Elohim with all thy heart and with all thy soul, (Deut 10:12, NRKJV)

Like Petrus once was a satan, resisting what God wanted, we too should be very careful not to resist God and not to go against His Laws.

10 Then saith Yahushua unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship יהוה thy Elohim, and him only shalt thou serve. (Matt 4:10, NRKJV)

14 Now therefore fear יהוה, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the elohim which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye יהוה. (Josh 24:14, NRKJV)

It is a simple message and we should not complicate it. We only have to have One God Who is One, and not two or three.

35 Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that יהוה he is Elohim; there is none else beside him. (Deut 4:35, NRKJV)

6 Thus saith יהוה the King of Israel, and his redeemer יהוה of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no Elohim. (Isa 44:6, NRKJV)

Humanity wants to reverse the complexity and reject the simple because it is too simple and confronting. All people should know that Jesus is getting to the essence of the Old Tetament. Jesus is the way to God and we should be thankfull he managed to do the will of God, putting his own will aside. (In case he would be God he would not have to put his will aside because than he would always have done his own will.) Jesus also was not a schizophrenic god who would say he was someone else and pray to someone else when he would be praying to himself. Jesus did not pray to himself and learned others also not to pray to him, but to his heavenly Father.

Matt 6
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. (Matt 6:1-9, NRKJV)

39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. 40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. 41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, 46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. (Luke 22:39-46, NRKJV)

2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. (Luke 11:2, NRKJV)

Jesus prefered to do the Will of God, and that is what a Christian, or follower of Christ also should do. We should look forward to God’s Kingdom to come. As followers of Christ we should remember and do likewise Jesus Christ.

38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (John 6:38, NRKJV)

34 Yahushua saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34, NRKJV)

30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. (John 5:30, NRKJV)

Real Christians shall or should follow the teachings of Christ and shall take up the task given by him, namely to go out into the world spreading God’s Word and spreading the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God. Those who want to call themselves “Christian” should do as Jesus Christ asks them to do.

Jesus asks his disciples to make up their mind and to be clear sighted, not about others, but about themselves.

To be clearsighted about ourselves, is to be aware of our own shortcomings, limitations, and challenges. But it also means to be aware of our own gifts and talents. {Seeing Clearly – Br. James Koester}

But Jesus demands a full breath true insight, a proper choice of oneself! He does not want you to follow him because others say so or because others are following him. You have to do it out of own choice and by believing in him and even more important, believing in Him Who sent him.

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24, NRKJV)

16 For יהוה so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For יהוה sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:16-17, NRKJV)

It is by believing it was God Who sent His own son, and not that God Himself would have come down to earth to fake His birth, torture, death and resurrection (all parts which do not belong to God).

18 And all things are of יהוה, who hath reconciled us to himself by Yahushua the Messiah, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that יהוה was in the Messiah, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for the Messiah, as though Elohim did beseech you by us: we pray you in the Messiah’s stead, be ye reconciled to יהוה. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of יהוה in him. (2Cor 5:18-21, NRKJV)

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to יהוה by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Rom 5:10, NRKJV)

The gospel may be very simple, do not make it complicated. The Bible speaks a clear language, but we should be willing to hear ait and to see the underlying essence and message.

Faith is simple {Check Yourself, Christian}

so keep it simple and do not unnecessarily complicate things by twisting the words of the Bible; Just take those words like they are written down.

Are there ways in which we may be externally religious—doctrinally sound, outwardly well-behaved, “godly” in character and lifestyle—yet insincere behind the curtain, and before the Lord? {Check Yourself, Christian}

When we are not careful, we can get carried away by all those theologians and people who prefer to keep to human doctrines instead of keeping to Biblical doctrines. Many of them are able to carry a lot of Christians away from the Biblical Truth.

Seeing Biblical truth is only possible when one is willing to listen to God His Word as it is written in the Book of books, the Bible.

Being a good and real Christian requires to see who Christ Jesus is and to believe he is the sent one from God, who really died for the sins of others. God can not die, so in case Jesus would be God he would not only always have done his will, but also would not ever had to be afraid of what the Romans would do with him, because he could not die, so any impalement would not harm him. Al those who say Jesus is God, make of his impalement (or crucifixion) a big farce and make of his appearance on earth a whole farce.

Real Christians recognise what Jesus realy has done, and know what a horrible fear he must have had. Real Christians are also aware how much pain Jesus must have had and as such appreciate it so much more, that he was undergoing all that torture for people he did not know and at a time he could have been unsure if God would be going to help him or taking him out of the dead. At one moment the fear became so high he even cried to his heavenly Father (and not to himself);

46 And about the ninth hour Yahushua cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My Elohim, my Elohim, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matt 27:46, NRKJV)

A person can not leave himself, so Jesus did not ask to himself why he had left himself, but asked his heavenly Father Why He (God) left him (Jesus):

34 And at the ninth hour Yahushua cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My Elohim, my Elohim, why hast thou forsaken me? (Mark 15:34, NRKJV)

Yes, after Jesus in fear called to his Father in heaven, as if He would have forsaken Jesus (which He did not), Jesus gave up the spirit, which means that Jesus really died. (Remember that God as an eternal Spirit can not die.) It was not in his own hands that Jesus gave his life, but in the Hands of his heavenly Father, the Only One True God.

46 And when Yahushua had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the Spirit. (Luke 23:46, NRKJV)

When Jesus died, his life finished, but not his story. He had always kept to the three basic commands and lived according to those fundamentals he tried to explain and which each true follower of him should follow.

As society may go further away from God’s command and from Christ’s teachings, real followers should give the example and prepare the way, so that more people may come to see that Jesus is the way to God.

6 Yahushua saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6, NRKJV)

Let us take a piece of advice from a Trinitarian at heart, though even he might not see how he himself is caught up in the chains of this world.

We cannot accept the lies that are popularly accepted, even when progressive “Christians” around us conform to them. The only source of truth is the Word of God and we know that His Word will never change! {Progressive Christianity}

Working full-time as a witness “for his Savior” we only can hope he with his wife Brittany, shall come to recognise the work Jesus did and shall come to follow him wholeheartedly. And that is always possible because people have to grow in the Word of God. We all live in a world where many things are said and where many satans or adversaries of God are at work. Because of the main churches being so strong and so eager to get their false teaching of the trinity across, it is very difficult for people to see the trees in the wood. Though if they would be willing to open their eyes for the simple things and the simple words, clarity will be near.

That is the hope the lovers of God can have. It is never too late to spread the gospel and to show people the real Christ who bore witness of his heavenly Father. the Bible tells us also that this shall happen when we come closer to the end times, and as such we can live by the hope in Christ. He, who even did not know when he would be coming back, because such thing is only known by God (and Jesus not being God as such did not know it) gave us the hope that one day when the kingdom of God would be preached all over the world the Day will arrive that he shall be allowed to judge in the name of God.

19 Then answered Yahushua and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. 20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. 21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. 22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of יהוה: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. 30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. 31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. 32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. 33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. 34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. 35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. 36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. 37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. 38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. 39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. 41 I receive not honour from men. 42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of Elohim in you. 43 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. 44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from Elohim only? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. 46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. 47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? (John 5:19-47, NRKJV)

When we call ourselves “Christian”, let us believe in that sent one from God, who is authorised to speak and act in the Name of God and follow up his given task to instruct all the nations, immersing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe and to give heed to all as much as Jesus has given and commanded his disciples.

18 And Yahushua came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the age. (Matt 28:18-20, NRKJV)

Preceding

Do you really know what you say you believe in?

Not About The Name Of The Godhead Of Jesus

Rhetoric and Biblical Truth

Religion and the essence of devotion

The false prophets in the present world

O God, How Long? ~ Psalm 74

Additional reading

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by Belgian Biblestudents - Belgische Bijbelstudenten | 2018/06/13 · 5:00 pm

What is a Christian?

Lots of people do call themselves Christian but are not really real followers of Christ (what they should be when they call themselves Christian).

Being Christian should entail that the person is a follower of the Christ (Kristos) and would follow his teachings and worship the same God as him. Though in the Christian world we do find the majority worshipping another god than the God of Christ. Christ Jesus, born by the Power of God, was brought up in a very devout family who kept to the Torah and worshipped the Only One True God, the God of Israel, Who is also the God of Abraham.

A true Christian should also keep to that Unseen God and like Jesus should obey His Wishes and Commandments. As a follower of Christ a Christian should make sure to live according the rule of the God of Christ and according the teachings of Jesus Christ. Though in many denominations we see lots of so called believers who not take notion of all those things Jesus and God require from believers in God and from lovers of God. Many keep to the false teaching of the trinity (a three-headed god) and even do not mind having graven images of those gods (a blasphemy and an abomination in the eyes of God)
Lots of those calling themselves Christian also do not share the love of Christ and often are racist and not showing their love for others. Many also do not mind taking up weapons or to show aggressiveness towards others.

A real Christian is some one who really tries to live according the teachings of God and His only begotten beloved son Jesus, and like him shows respect and love to every creation of God (plants, animals and people).

Additional reading

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Tagged as Being Christian, Believers, Christian, Followers of Christ, God of Christ, God of Christians, Love of Christ, Obeying God, Only True God, Teachings of Christ, to live God’s way, to Worship, Trinity, True Christians, Worship, Worship of God

by Christadelphians | 2018/02/03 · 2:16 pm

Preach

Too many people who call themselves Christian do forget who Jesus really was and which tasks he had given to his followers. Today true Christians still should follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and should proclaim the hopeful message of the coming Kingdom.

Real Christians should be heralds of the Gospel, eager to tell the people about the Good News, of salvation and about the hope for mankind given by the Grace of God.

As forerunner or herald Christians should be portent or indicators of something important or calamitous about to occur, perhaps an omen in the eyes of many, but for others an insurmountable event to look forward even when it might bring lots of suffering and an incredible violence. therefore we should warn the people of that last and third world war which is insuperable.

By sharing the agape love and bringing more people to see that Jesus is the way to God and the way to life, the Christian herald shall be able to make many stronger and secured against the coming disaster. Out of love for others we should tell others about the love of God, about what Jesus has done, but also about the return of Jesus and what to expect of that time of his return.

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To remember

Greek word most often translated as ‘preach’ is κηρύσσω – kérussó (Strong’s 2784) = Koine = ‘to be or act like a herald’ or ‘to proclaim’.

role of a herald or Old French heraut from Frankish via herewald, literally ‘war-ruler’, > martial or commander > 3 distinct contemporary meanings:

A messenger

A harbinger

A steward (of heraldry -a rank/position at the College of Arms)

‘preacher’ of the Gospel, = entrusted (stewardship) with a message of coming of the Kingdom of God.

‘to herald’ = ‘sing the praises of’

idea that a Christian should ‘preach the Gospel’= frowned upon. > conjures images of street corner evangelists ranting at passing ‘sinners’

Christian organisations involved in social action ministry > running night shelters, to discourage volunteers from speaking about Jesus – some even require a signed commitment to not proactively mention the Gospel.

What has gone wrong? To paraphrase Peter (Acts 5:3), how has Satan so filled the hearts of Christians? How is it that Christians feel confident enough to defy God and disobey the Great Commission?

Go into all the world and proclaim (kérussó) the gospel to the whole creation. (Mark 16:15)

‘preach’ is not:

convicting people of their sin and telling them they are bound for hell

talking down to people from a position of self-righteousness

a slick presentation, a hectoring declamation or a well-honed argument.

Preaching = heralding = speaking joyfully of Jesus, singing his praises; telling people of how people are transformed in Christ, and how they can be also, through faith.

best witnesses to Christ = demonstrate love + speak of its origin, which is Jesus; perhaps the Great Commission was given as command because Jesus knew that it would be challenging.

If witness speaks from love about hope + declares that Jesus = source of hope => herald will have done his work faithfully.

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Additional reading

Two new encyclopaedic articles

Breathing to teach

“I Die Daily”

To create a great journey

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Related

What is meant by awareness, or witnessing?

Witnessing the Destruction of Nature around the Planet.

Man I sure wish I would’ve had one of my witnessing cards just now to send with a man.

A witnessing prayer

Witnessing the Secret Creator

” Witnessing “

As the clock strikes 12…

Hope is an anchor

Reject And Correct Christian propaganda

Families embrace their community for the gospel

Bold to Witness

Being a One Talent Church

Come and see…

Hold Up The Light

Are You An Ambassador For Christ?

Are You Ready for the Harvest?

First Things First

Talking About Jesus

You Are Ready To Go – By Laurence Torr

Christianity’s Most Essential Verse

God Breathed Words

raffaello-sanzio-da-urbino-st-paul-preaching-at-athens-cartoon-for-the-sistine-chapel.jpg Raphael’s depiction of Paul preaching in Athens

Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. (1 Thessalonians 2:9)

The Greek word that is most often translated as ‘preach’ is κηρύσσω – kérussó (Strong’s 2784). The word in the Koine

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by Immanuel Verbondskind | 2017/03/08 · 8:00 pm

Inquisition also bad for Jews

A Catholic bishop granting plenary indulgences for the public during times of calamity. Note the almsgiving in the background. Wall Fresco by Italian Artist Lorenzo Lotto, Suardi, Italy, circa 1524.

The Roman Catholic Pope in the 1200s was annoyed that there where people who called themselves Christians but did not want to worship Jesus as their god. Those true Christians said there was only One God, Who is one, and which was not the god of the Catholic Church but the God of Israel. This was a blow in the face of the Roman Catholic Church which also could see a lot of money not coming in their hands because those Christians who refused to worship the Trinity also said that people paid for their sins by their death and not by ecclesiastical indulgences.

The Pope not pleased with those lay preachers who could undermine his establishment got enough clergy interested to battle those who had other thoughts than they. He established the “Holy Inquisition Against Depraved Heresy” to deal with breakaway ‘Christian sects’. At first it was a judicial procedure set to be able to judge all sorts of people who did not want to go with the Roman Catholic Church. But later an institution was established by the papacy and, sometimes, by secular governments to combat heresy and to act like we now see Al Qaeda, ISIS/ISIL or Daesh, Boko Haram and other fundamentalist Islamic groups to press what they believe would be the only true faith everybody had to have.

First being relatively powerless, as secular rulers, suspicious of Papal meddling in their own internal affairs, did not allow it access to their countries, in a period of more than 200 years, very few heretics were burned at the stake. In 1481, at the peak of the Ottoman power, however, after extracting a promise from the Pope that the Inquisition would remain under the Crown’s control, thus ensuring that confiscated assets of heretics would revert to the throne, Ferdinand and Isabella established the Inquisition in Seville (Reconquista). While it is commonly assumed that the Inquisition was brought to Spain out of a concern that Jews were trying to influence conversos to leave the Christian fold, one prominent historian is of the opinion that by 1481 Jewish consciousness was virtually nonexistent among the conversos, and that Jews did not attempt any such outreach. Rather, he believes, the Inquisition was an outgrowth of the attitudes of Spain’s Old Christian population. In the words of one Spanish historian,

“The Inquisition was a genuine expression of the soul of the Spanish people.”

When we hear about the Inquisition we most often do not think of the Jews, with good reason, because most damage was done to sincere godly people who had taken Jesus as the son of God and their saviour and not as their god. Though the horrible action taken by the Roman Catholics, undertaken in the twelfth century and following centuries to find “Christian heretics” who would be punished or killed, had her eyes also set on the Jewish community. Eventually, Jews too were open to such charges of heresy, simply for being Jewish; and torture was routinely used to extract “confessions.”

These coming weeks we also remember how this coming up time to Pesach was a very dangerous time for Jews, because they could be caught cleaning their houses and linen and buying vegetables before Pesach, blessing children without making the sign of the cross, fasting on Yom Kippur, and refraining from work on the Sabbath.

Interestingly enough, Jews who never converted to Christianity were not under the jurisdiction of the Inquisition, and could practice their religion freely and openly. It was only conversos who were considered heretics for forsaking the Christian creed and practising Judaism. Worse for the Catholic Church was that some of those converts did not become a Catholic but accepted rabbi Jeshua as the Messiah, the son of God but not a god son, like the Roman Catholics did. Those having gone in the water to become a Baptist, became with that group a target for prosecution, according to the Roman Catholics being a dangerous ‘cult’ and with other protestants to be removed from this earth.

Marranos: Secret Seder in Spain during the times of inquisition, an 1892 painting by Moshe Maimon

Mainly because of persecution, Muslims and Jews in Spain at that time found it socially, politically, and economically expedient to convert to Catholicism, but where not really practising that faith and at home kept their ow practice of faith. In 1481 the Inquisition began to function in Spain to expose the secret Jews, known as the Anusim (who were forced to abandon Judaism against their will) or Marranos, who converted to the Christian faith to escape persecution but who continued to practice Judaism secretly, but over the years spread to many countries. The Spanish Inquisition was anti-Jewish more than in any previous countries. The first public sentencing and burning alive of six marrano men and one woman by the Spanish Inquisition was held on this date in Sevilla in Southern Spain.

All sorts of torture where good for the unsparing cruel fanatics, of which many also set their eyes on the Jews and certain Christian groups or monasteries their assets.

Differently with the present day inquisition groups of Islam the Roman Catholic Church did not want to spill blood, but only “save souls”. For not having their clergy to become accused for having blood on their hands they made use of civilians and secular authorities for the many executions, whereby they found it was best to use bloodless deaths, such as strangling and burning alive.

For ISIS the colour today is orange, but at that time the condemned people wore yellow sanbenitos, cloaks, with red crosses and the letter X painted on them. Those given the death penalty wore tunics with paintings of flames and devils. The procession marched through the town to the burning area where the judges sat. The cases involving lesser penalties were judged first, then those receiving strangulation before burning, and finally those condemned to be burned alive.

The first auto-de-fe was held in 1481, and the last in 1731, an old woman who was accused of

“being influenced by the Devil, after which she laid eggs with prophecies written on them.”

Tomás de Torquemada (Thomas of Torquemada) Castilian Dominican friar, and the first Grand Inquisitor in Spain’s movement to homogenize religious practices with those of the Catholic Church in the late 15th century, otherwise known as “The Spanish Inquisition.” (Wikipedia)

In 1483, Queen Isabella’s personal confessor, the Dominican priest Tomas de Torquemada, was appointed head of the Inquisition. Of converso origin, Torquemada was a fanatic Jew-hater who was wholly incorruptible. He was convinced that only the total expulsion of the Jews from Spain could end Jewish influence in the national life.

Torquemada did not cut the grass from under the Jews’ feet and quickly began taking steps to weaken the unconverted Jewish community and eventually expel it from Spain. In 1485, he forced all rabbis, under pain of death, to report conversos who were practising Judaism, and to pronounce a rabbinic curse on any Jew who failed to notify the Inquisition of such behaviour. This cruel edict badly split the Jews of Spain. Alarmed by the greatly increasing power of the Inquisition, that year a group of conversos plotted to kill the inquisitor of Saragossa, Pedro de Arbues, hoping to begin a popular uprising against the Inquisition. However, the assassination had the opposite effect. The townspeople were enraged, rampaging through the streets, killing many conversos. All the conspirators were caught and executed, and the Inquisition grew even stronger.

Purity of faith became the national policy of the Catholic sovereigns, and thus came about the final tragedy, the edict of expulsion of all the Jews from Spain on March 31, 1492. Portugal promulgated an edict of expulsion in 1497 and Navarre in 1498. It was under de Torquemada his guidance that the Inquisition became such a terrifying institution, amassing enormous assets confiscated from its victims, much of it used to finance the war to conquer the last Muslim stronghold of Granada.

In 1680, the most spectacular of all autos-de-fe was held to celebrate the wedding of King Carlos and his bride. At that time, the Inquisition spread to Spanish and Portuguese colonies in the New and Old Worlds, with victims burned in Havana, Cuba; Mexico City, Mexico; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Goa, India. After 350 years, the Inquisition was finally abolished in 1834, the year the Liberal Wars ended in Portugal and pro-republic uprising fails in Piedmont. In all, more than 400,000 people were accused of heresy, with 30,000 of those put to death.

Please do read:

The Spanish Inquisition by Yosef Eisen

Books on Conversos a listing by Rabbi Juan Bejarano-Gutierrez the director of the B’nei Anusim Center for Education

Additional reading

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Seeds and weeds for being the greatest nation

Today the world seems to be struggling with seeds sown after a horrible experience which brought millions of people to end their life earlier than it should have been.

Nearly hundreds years ago everybody had said “never again”, but less than 30 years loomed the ghost ship already from the waves. soon the European battlefield was again full of blood and tears. this time one tiny man had shouted loud and had made many grand gestures getting the crowd to believe this time it would be different and he would made their nation, their own country, the greatest again and forever the greatest.

The Jews where blamed for all the poverty and misery in the country. They where considered also to be the murderers of Jesus Christ and if Europe was not going to be careful they would conquer Europe.

World War I era US poster by James Montgomery Flagg, 1918, lithograph, color; 56 x 36 cm. Columbia (female allegorical personification of the United States of America) broadcasts seeds in a plowed field. Text:”Sow the Seeds of Victory! Plant and raise your own vegetables”…”Every garden a munition plant”. Urging civilians to raise their own food to free up resources for the war effort. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today there is an other Izegrim who is telling his compatriots they should be aware for a people that supposedly would have conquered Europe already and soon would be conquering the United States of America. The bully, neatly his head being covered with his blonder peruche, wants others to believe he is the clairvoyant who knows what is best for the nation and who is the only one who can make the nation great again. Lots of people have put their hope in him. Worse is that many who voted for him say they are Christians. Though clearly they show not a Christian attitude by liking the use of weapons, killing others and spreading the hate against Jews and Muslims. Those last ones seem to be the cause of all trouble today. They are consider a very dangerous breed of people, worshipping a strange and dangerous god. Those christians mostly worship a false three-headed god, though they claim to be worshipping the Only True God. And there is what the problem of today is…..

In the contemporary world the seed of the adversary of God is sown and germinating. Thought that seed starts seeing that the seed of God, the people who want to worship the Only One True God is starting to shine more. Jews, true Christians (non-trinitarian) and true Muslims are those who follow the teachings of the Holy Scriptures, the Words of Allah, the Most Almighty Elohim Hashem Jehovah. The false Muslims and false Christians see a danger or threat in those lovers of God and try to do everything to bring them in a bad light.

First there are the ones who take Jesus as their god but do not follow the teachings of peace of that master teacher. Rabbi Jeshua was always an ear and a good heart to those who where different than others or who had difficulties. He always was there to come to help them and to be there to defend them who had no voice or did not belong to the main community.

The photo depicts the Sowing the Seeds icon from the Greek Catholic Cathedral of Hajdúdorog, Hungary. It was painted on the end of the 18th century by unknown painter (most probably by Mihály Mankovics). The painting decorates the pulpit of the cathedral. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In our Holy Scriptures we are told that this master teacher told many parables and many of them concerned our faith and our behaviour towards people around us and towards God. We also consider him as the sent one from Allah was not going to keep his mouth shut, but would open it with illustrations so that people would be able to come to see.

“هذا كله كلم به يسوع الجموع بامثال.وبدون مثل لم يكن يكلمهم” (متى 13:34)
“All this Jesus spoke to the crowds in (sayings or stories) parables; and without a parable, he didn’t speak to them,” (Matthew 13:34)

In our Holy Scriptures we are told that this sent one from the Most High Allah, the son of man, is the sower of the fine seed.

“فاجاب وقال لهم.الزارع الزرع الجيد هو ابن الانسان.” (متى 13:37)

“He answered them Hm.alazara, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,” (Matthew 13:37)

Fine seed is naturally very delicate and may (perhaps) be easily damaged. That is the problem with some seeds Jesus could sow on this earth. They might have found Jesus, though not knowing their master or sower very well, they thought they knew him enough to say that they are his. We see lots of people who say they are Christian, which should mean being a follower of Christ Jesus. But what we can see is that they have that son of man made into their god and where even not afraid to make graven images of him, though Allah is very clear that we never should make any graven image of a god nor of Him.

“لا تصنع لك تمثالا منحوتا ولا صورة ما مّما في السماء من فوق وما في الارض من تحت وما في الماء من تحت الارض.” (خروج 20:4)

“”You shall not make for yourselves a graven image or any likeness of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters under the earth:” (Exodus 20:4 )

The One having to be the Only One God should be Allah, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah Who is One and Who is not a man of flesh and blood but an eternal Spirit.

“اسمع يا اسرائيل.الرب الهنا رب واحد.” (تثنية 6:4)

“Hear, Asiraial (Israel): Jehovah is Allah our Lord God; Jehovah is just (the only) one:” (Deuteronomy 6:4)

“انا الرب هذا اسمي ومجدي لا اعطيه لآخر ولا تسبيحي للمنحوتات.” (اشعياء 42:8)

“”I am Magdi Jehovah, that is my name. I will not give him (the Magdi or glory) to time or to another, nor my praise Zbhristi (Haem or glorification) to sculptures or engraved images.” (Isaiah 42:8)

“لا تنطق باسم الرب الهك باطلا لان الرب لا يبرئ من نطق باسمه باطلا.” (خروج 20:7)

“Do not pronounce the name of Jehovah your Allah in vain; for Jehovah will not acquit of His name in vain (or will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain)” (Exodus 20:7)

that is what we can see what happened in this world. Many have taken the Holy Name of Allah and changed it from Jehovah into Jesus and made sculptures, paintings and several objects with drawings of him and his heavenly Father, though this is an abomination in the eyes of that Father of rabbi Jeshua, who is the only One God Spirit.

“الله روح.والذين يسجدون له فبالروح والحق ينبغي ان يسجدوا.” (يوحنا 4:24)

“Allah is spirit, and you should worship Him in spirit and truth.”” (John 4:24)

Instead of worshipping Allah in truth many fake their devotion for god by worshipping not at all or having more interest in (or worship of) money and material possession. That love of possession brings also certain people to use the title of God to bring fear over man and to oppress those around them. Often they use Allah His Words in the wrong way, distorting or twisting them so that they can justify their wrong acts, like attacking other believers and non-believers, humiliating women, selling people, etc.

Brooklyn Museum – The Enemy Sowing Tares – Elihu Vedder – overall (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Most Christians do not worship Jehovah, the Only One True God of gods, with spirit, but prefer to keep to human dogmas and therefore many became blind for the biblical truth, like we also can see in the Ummah, where several so called believers do not come to read the Holy Scriptures any more but follow just some verses, taken out of context by their teachers, which they follow without comparing their sayings with what is written in the Scriptures. Because so many Muslims and Christians not knowing their Holy Scriptures any more they can be mislead and be driven away from the truth and worse also from God.

Perhaps both Christians and Muslims should come to read Muslim scriptures where is written

And, likewise, their belief in beings or powers that are supposed to have a share in God’s divinity makes [even] the slaying of their children seem goodly to many of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God, thus bringing them to ruin and confusing them in their faith. Yet, unless God had so willed, they would not be doing all this: stand, therefore, aloof from them and all their false imagery!(6:137)

There and then will every human being clearly apprehend what he has done in the past; and all will be brought back unto God, their true Lord Supreme, and all their false imagery will have forsaken them.(10:30)

It is they who have squandered their own selves-for [on the Day of Resurrection] all their false imagery will have forsaken them:(11:21)

Is Then, He who has every living being in His almighty care, [dealing with each] according to what it deserves -[is, then, He like anything else that exists]? And yet, they ascribe to other beings a share in God’s divinity! Say: “Give them any name [you please]: but do you [really think that you could] inform Him of anything on earth that He does not know-or [do you] but play with words?, Nay, goodly seems their false imagery to those who are bent on denying the truth, and so they are turned away from the [right] path: and he whom God lets go astray can never find any guide.(13:33)

And [this retribution will befall all evildoers because] they devise that false imagery of theirs – and all their false imagery is within God’s knowledge. [And never can the blasphemers prevail against the truth – not] even if their false imagery were so (well devised and so powerful] that mountains could be moved thereby.(14:46)

As it is, they ascribe – out of what We provide for them as sustenance – a share unto things of which they know nothing. By God, you shall most certainly be called to account for all your false imagery!(16:56)

And on that Day will they [who had thus been sinning, belatedly] proffer their surrender to God; and all their false imagery will have forsaken them.(16:87)

when he said unto his father and his people, “What are these images to which you are so intensely devoted?”(21:52)

But, then, did those [beings] whom they had chosen to worship as deities beside God, hoping that they would bring them nearer [to Him], help them [in the end]? Nay, they forsook them: for that [alleged divinity] was but an outcome of their self-delusion and all their false imagery.(46:28)

Instead of becoming liberated in Christ they have become slaves of a new religion not afraid to set them up against other religions. In this can be seen the reason why so many can not see what are real Christians or what are real Muslims. True Christians and true Muslims should be bringers of peace. Again they better look at Muslim writings which say

And when Abraham said: “O Lord, make this a city of peace, and give those of its citizens who believe in God and the Last Day fruits for food,” He answered: “To those will I also give a little who believe not, for a time, then drag them to Hell, a dreadful destination!”(2:126)

Except those who take refuge with a people allied to you, or those who, weary of fighting you or their people, come over to you. If God had so willed He would surely have given them power over you, and they would have fought you. If they keep aloof and do not fight, and offer peace, God has left you no reason to fight them.(4:90)

You will also find persons who, while wishing to live in peace with you as well as with their own people, turn to civil war the moment they are called to it. If they do not keep away from you, nor offer you peace nor restrain their hands, seize them and kill them wherever they are. We have given you a clear sanction against them.(4:91)

O believers, when you go out on a journey in the way of God, be discreet and do not say to anyone who greets you in peace: “You are not a believer.” You desire the gain of earthly life, but there are prizes in plenty with God. You were also like him (an unbeliever) in the past, but God has been gracious to you. So be careful and discreet, for God is aware of what you do.(4:94)

Their confidential counsels are seldom for the good, save of those who talk of charity or goodness or peace among men. Whosoever does so for the pleasure of God, We shall give him an ample reward.(4:114)

The seeds of Jesus do not have to worry. Because when they truly believe their master teacher they can be sure Allah will guide and protect them.

Through which God will lead those who follow His pleasure to the path of peace, and guide them out of darkness into light by His will, and to the path that is straight.(5:16)

But man has to give something in the place. They should believe. They should believe in God and today they also should believe in the the sent one from God, Ishi (Jeshua or Jesus Christ) and would not mix their faith with that of pagans, or taking part in to pagan feasts like Halloween, Yule, Christmas and Easter e.g. and may not deny the position of each character God placed on this earth.

They alone have peace who believe and do not intermix belief with denial, and are guided on the right path.”(6:82)

For them is an abode of peace with their Lord. He will be their defender as reward for what they did.(6:127)

“الحق الحق اقول لكم ان من يسمع كلامي ويؤمن بالذي ارسلني فله حياة ابدية ولا يأتي الى دينونة بل قد انتقل من الموت الى الحياة.” (يوحنا 5:24)

Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that hears my word and believes Him who sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24)

Lots of Christians do not believe the One Who sent Jesus and said that man standing in the river Jordan was His only begotten son.

“21 ولما اعتمد جميع الشعب اعتمد يسوع ايضا.واذ كان يصلّي انفتحت السماء 22 ونزل عليه الروح القدس بهيئة جسمية مثل حمامة وكان صوت من السماء قائلا انت ابني الحبيب بك سررت 23 ولما ابتدأ يسوع كان له نحو ثلاثين سنة وهو على ما كان يظن ابن يوسف بن هالي” (لوقا 3:21-23)

“21 Now it happened, when all the people were baptized, Jesus also had been baptized, and was praying. The sky opened up, 22 and the Holy Spirit in a bodily form as a dove descended on him; and a voice came out from heaven, saying

“You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased.”

23 Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, it was thought he being the son of Joseph, bin Hali,” (Luke 3:21-23)

Those Christians who made Jesus into their god also do not believe Allah’s Own Word, who tells mankind about the moment when it was begotten time to have that one promised in the Royal Garden to come to earth.

“ولكن لما جاء ملء الزمان ارسل الله ابنه مولودا من امرأة مولودا تحت الناموس” (غلاطية 4:4)

“But when the fulness of the time had come, Allah sent out his son, born to a woman, born under the law,” (Galatians 4:4)

He knew very well the Law and the Word of God, but the seed of the contemporary world has so much weed between it it nearly becomes suffocated in the field.

Some days after that preaching man told about the weeds, Allah once more declared who this rabbi was.

“وفيما هو يتكلم اذا سحابة نيرة ظللتهم وصوت من السحابة قائلا هذا هو ابني الحبيب الذي به سررت.له اسمعوا.” (متى 17:5)

“While he was speaking, a bright cloud and voice from the cloud overshadowed them, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear him (or listen to him).” (Matthew 17: 5)

Today we have come into an age where we find again people of little faith and people of no faith and being a twisted generation, catching fear because they do not know the Word nor the people of God and how they should unite with all people of God, transferring from here to there (Matthew 17:20; 21:21; Mark 9:31; Luke 9:44).

the weed Atriplex patula

We today must be aware how the adversary is working hard to bring division between man. The adversaries of God sow seeds of weed to make sure many plants will die because the weeds not giving place for them. Please let us therefore listen to the wise words of the sent one from Allah, who explains his story about the seeds and weeds.

“37 فاجاب وقال لهم.الزارع الزرع الجيد هو ابن الانسان. 38 والحقل هو العالم.والزرع الجيد هو بنو الملكوت.والزوان هو بنو الشرير. 39 والعدو الذي زرعه هو ابليس.والحصاد هو انقضاء العالم.والحصادون هم الملائكة. 40 فكما يجمع الزوان ويحرق بالنار هكذا يكون في انقضاء هذا العالم. 41 يرسل ابن الانسان ملائكته فيجمعون من ملكوته جميع المعاثر وفاعلي الاثم. 42 ويطرحونهم في اتون النار.هناك يكون البكاء وصرير الاسنان. 43 حينئذ يضيء الابرار كالشمس في ملكوت ابيهم.من له اذنان للسمع فليسمع 44 ¶ ايضا يشبه ملكوت السموات كنزا مخفى في حقل وجده انسان فاخفاه ومن فرحه مضى وباع كل ما كان له واشترى ذلك الحقل. 45 ايضا يشبه ملكوت السموات انسانا تاجرا يطلب لآلئ حسنة. 46 فلما وجد لؤلؤة واحدة كثيرة الثمن مضى وباع كل ما كان له واشتراها. 47 ايضا يشبه ملكوت السموات شبكة مطروحة في البحر وجامعة من كل نوع. 48 فلما امتلأت اصعدوها على الشاطئ وجلسوا وجمعوا الجياد الى اوعية.واما الاردياء فطرحوها خارجا. 49 هكذا يكون في انقضاء العالم.يخرج الملائكة ويفرزون الاشرار من بين الابرار. 50 ويطرحونهم في اتون النار.هناك يكون البكاء وصرير الاسنان 51 قال لهم يسوع أفهمتم هذا كله.فقالوا نعم يا سيد. 52 فقال لهم.من اجل ذلك كل كاتب متعلم في ملكوت السموات يشبه رجلا رب بيت يخرج من كنزه جددا وعتقاء.” (متى 13:37-52 Arabic)

the weed Urtica dioica, often called common nettle, stinging nettle many of which have many hollow stinging hairs called trichomes on the leaves and stems, which act like hypodermic needles, injecting histamine and other chemicals that produce a stinging sensation when contacted by humans and other animals

“37 He answered them, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, 38 the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the Kingdom; and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 As therefore the darnel weeds are gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 44 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field. 45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46 who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it. 47 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet, that was cast into the sea, and gathered some fish of every kind, 48 which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach. They sat down, and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away. 49 So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come forth, and separate the wicked from among the righteous, 50 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.” 51 Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They answered him, “Yes, Lord.” 52 He said to them, “Therefore, every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things.”” (Matthew 13:37-52 WEB)

Those who really love should do their utmost best to come to know that Divine Maker of all things and should try to please Him more than to please man around them. they should be very careful for those people who promise they alone are the one who is able to make their nation great again. they should look at the fruits of such people and check if they are living themselves according to what they are preaching.

We should make ourselves stronger in the faith by regularly reading the Whole Word of God and not to take just a few verses from scripture out of context.

As lovers of God we should also show that we are really willing to be His children, living under His Fatherhood, enjoying the diversity in His family, people from different cultures with different skin-colour, different tongue, with different attitudes, ways of dressing and talking, but all united under His Holy Name.

Preceding

Seeds to be planted soon

Seeds of promise Seeds, weeds and kingdoms

Unbelief, faith and mustard seed

Seeds from the world creating division and separation from God

Additional reading

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Further related articles

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Tagged as Adversary of God, Allah, Being Christian, Believe, Believe in God, Believe in Jesus Christ, Believers, Biblical truth, Christian attitude, Christian religion, Christians, Eternal Spirit God, Europe, European battlefield, Evildoers, False Christians, False imagery, False Muslims, Followers of Christ, God's adversary's Seed, God's divinity, God's seed, God's Way, Graven images, Holy Name of God, Jesus Christ, Jesus' Parables, Jews, Last Days, Lovers of God, Muslims, Non-trinitarian Christian, Non-trinitarians, Only True God, Parable of the weeds, People of God, Rabbi Jeshua, Religions, Resurrection Day, Resurrection of man, Seed, Seeds, Sent one from God, Sowing seeds, Threeheaded god, Trinity, True Christians, True Muslims, Ummah or Muslim community, Unbelievers, United States of America, World wars

by Christadelphians | 2015/09/26 · 7:57 am

Israeli leaders delight in Europe’s cruelty toward refugees

Many people in the capitalist countries are afraid the asylum seekers will be able to conquer their countries and impose their religion onto them.

The Ethnic composition of Muslims in the United States, according to the United States Department of State based on the publication of Being Muslim in America as of March 2009 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In case they would strongly believe in One True God they should not have to fear the Muslims, because they also believe in the same One God of Abraham.
Though many Christians and Muslims have gone far away from the teachings of the Holy Writings and have given preference to human philosophical writings and human traditions.

Hungarian right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban saying, what many so called Christians also think, that Muslim refugees must be kept out of Europe “to keep Europe Christian,” does not understand that when those Christians would be really following the teachings of Jesus Christ, they should have nothing to fear. Then they also would be able to show the Muslims that they share the love of Christ and worship the same One God of Abraham. But the majority of so called Christians do not believe at all or do not do much with their faith. The majority also has gone far away from the real faith and worships, when they do that, a triune god instead of keeping to that One True God, Jehovah, the divine Creator of heaven and earth.

It is true that the that the people who are coming here grew up in a different religion and represent a completely different culture, but when we can let them feel welcome and show them they do not have to fear our culture and our believes and let them know that in our regions we allow freedom of thought and freedom of religion and that those who come to live here shall have to give those rights of freedom to all people as well, than there should be no problem.
Those who do not want to have others the freedom of thought should know they are not obliged to stay here and can go to other places.

Problem only can arise when the states give in too much and would allow restriction to certain people, like wearing limiting clothing in public, or having imposing of certain religious traditions on others, like allowing sounds coming out of loudspeakers to call everybody to prayer, than others could come to be annoyed or bothered with those Muslims, the same as they can be angry with the bells in the morning of churches, making them awake when they want to sleep.

Protesters from far right organisations hold a banner which reads, “Stop the Islamization of Europe” during their protest against refugees in Krakow (Image: Reuters)

Europe and European culture have Christian roots and nothing should be against it to protect those. but our Judeo-Christian values should be grounded in our faith and be presented by the real Judeo-Christian attitude the God of Abraham would like us to show.

The xenophobic and anti-Muslim views that appear to lie at the heart of current Hungarian government policy and the negative reactions all over Europe clearly show how many so called Christians are missing the lesson of the Samaritan, Jesus told.

The people who call themselves Christian should know they do not have to fear man or other religions, but God. when they really would stand firm in their shoes of faith, they should not have to worry at all about a Muslim invasion, because then they would be able to convince Muslims of their faith. Problem with many Christians is that they went the wrong way, believe in a triune god in stead of the Only One True God and like several sorts of Muslims are carried away by human teachings and traditions instead of keeping themselves to the Biblical teachings.

Perhaps this is a good time for many Christians to consider which way they want to go in this world and how they want to treat other people, in the light of that what God wants from His people.

Let us show our good heart and help those in need, but let them also feel that we do want to help them without them having to rule over us. They should be welcome but have to know they cannot impose their laws over our world. It are they who should adapt to our culture and not we to theirs. When every body makes this clear and when they really got to know this from the beginning there should be no problem. Then they do know what to expect and then they still have the choice to stay or to leave. Nobody of the asylum seekers is obliged to come and live here.

Right-wing demonstrators gather on a square in the old town of in Warsaw (Image: AFP)

*

To take note of:

worst refugee crisis since the Second World War

some Israeli officials are quietly reveling in the chaos

Dore Gold, director general of the Israeli foreign ministry, expressed optimism > refugee influx will shift Europe to the right, making it more sympathetic to Israel’s “security” justification for its ongoing colonization of Palestine.

European perspective beginning to sound a little bit more like Israel’s perspective on security issues, compared to what it was in the past

Images of refugees corralled in trains, tracked with numbers on their forearms, locked away and fed like zoo animals in overcrowded camps and blocked with razor wire fences from entering Hungary = recall memories of Europe’s darkest chapter

right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban provoked most widespread revulsion

Orban’s ruling party, Fidesz, smitten with Israel, particularly Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party

Orban declared “Likud is our natural ideological partner.”

deaths = direct consequence of European border policies designed to make migration as unsafe as possible

Orban launched a Hungarian Birthright program for North Americans of Hungarian descent => sends young Jews on free trips to Israel in hopes they will immigrate

Fidesz deepened ties with far right + openly anti-Semitic Jobbik party

in Israel, fans of the Maccabi Tel Aviv football team unfurled a giant banner that read, “Refugees not welcome!”

Netanyahu announced construction of a wall along the Jordanian border to block a potential influx of Syrian refugees => Israel will be entirely walled off.

Of the five states that border Syria, Israel = only one that has not taken in any Syrian refugees for reasons identical to Hungary’s.

Israel barred Palestinian refugees from returning and labeled those who tried to come back as “infiltrators.”

millions of Palestinians continue to languish in squalid refugee camps scattered across the Middle East nearly 70 years later + longest running refugee crisis in modern history

**

leaders in Poland appealing to widespread anti-Muslim sentiment among the populace

people have suggested reopening Auschwitz and sending the refugees there

right-wing protesters clutching the national flag assembled on the streets in the capital of Warsaw + chanted slogans including “Today refugees, tomorrow terrorists!“ and ”Poland, free of Islam!“

Lech Walesa, leader of the Solidarity freedom movement in the 1980s, pledged to host refugees at his home

Gniewino, a county near the Baltic Sea coast =first place in the nation to offer to offer jobs to three Syrian families, with parishioners in the western city of Poznan showing support by collecting over 24,000 zlotys (£4,186) to help accommodate refugees.

Signs reading ‘Refugees welcome’ and ‘No one is illegal’ in Warsaw (Image AFP)

All the Jews should take the words of the leader of the opposition Zionist Union, Isaac Herzog, at heart

“You’ve forgotten what it means to be Jews. Refugees. Persecuted. The prime minister of the Jewish people does not close his heart and the gate when people are fleeing for their lives from persecution, with their babies in their hands.”

And the European citizens should remember the 1st and 2nd World Wars and that what Jesus Christ thought.

+

Preceding articles:

Still Hope though Power generating long train of abuses

Daring to speak in multicultural environment

Refugees At The Border- A Blessing Or Burden?

Poster: Please Help The Refugees

The World Wide Refugee and Migrant Crisis and a possible solution for it

Social media and asylum seekers

++

Additional reading:

Concerning gospelfaith

Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear to them

Do you believe in One God

Epitome of the one faith

Faith moving mountains

Full authority belongs to God

God is one

God’s design in the creation of the world

God’s promises

God’s measure not our measure

God’s promises to us in our suffering

God of gods

God’s hope and our hope

God’s salvation

Hope for the future

Incomplete without the mind of God

Is God hiding His face when He is seemingly silent

Israel in God’s purpose

Life with God

Looking for blessed hope

Meaning of life

Miracles in our time of suffering

Moving mountains

Not sure there exist a God

Nurturing a close relationship with God

Only one God

Our relationship with God, Jesus and eachother

Our way of life

Plain necessary food of the gospel

Reasons that Jesus was and is not God

Sayings around God

Second exodus

Sects, why so many

Suffering

Suffering through the apparent silence of God

Suffering continues

Suffering leading to joy

Surprised by joy

Surprised by time in joys & sufferings

Words from God about suffering

Working of the hope

Seems no future in suffering

Vatican against Opponents of immigration

Paris World Summit of Conscience, International interfaith gathering #1

Meeting to focus on humanitarian issues for Syria

Men of faith

Built on or Belonging to Jewish tradition #4 Mozaic and Noachide laws

Sharing a common security and a common set of values

Cognizance at the doorstep or at the internet socket

Faith related boycotts

Mocking, Agitation and Religious Persecution

Economic crisis danger for the rise of political extremism

Americans wrongly informed about situation in Europe

Fitting the bill in the North and in the East

The Protester named Person of the Year 2011 by Time Magazine

Cool Person of the year 2011

2014 Social contacts

Rampaging, demolishing sacred sites and cultural heritage

Continues Syrian conflict needing not only dialogue

Can We Pay The Price To Free Humanity?

Public not informed enough about Jihad terrorism in Belgium

Are people willing to take the responsibility for others

If Europe fails on the question of refugees, then it won’t be the Europe we wished for

State of Europe 2015 – Addressing Europe’s crises

Schengen area and Freedom for Europeans being put to the test as never before

Europe’s refugees just follow the ancient routes for the peopling of Europe in the Neolithic

Why Russia backs Assad: a view from Russia’s anti-imperialist left

Propaganda war and ISIS

African misery and women inequality

Because of doing too much social work put to silence

+++

Further reading:

Israeli leaders delight in Europe’s cruelty toward refugees

‘Today refugees, tomorrow terrorists’: Eastern Europeans chant anti-Islam slogans in demonstrations against refugees

Germany to ‘reintroduce border controls’

Theresa May under pressure to increase number of refugees in UK

Hungarian government accused of acting like the Nazis

Munich has run out of space for refugees, says mayor, as crisis pushes German city to ‘the limit’

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Related articles

New Book reveals how Christianity, Islam are essentially one religion

Conservative Pundit Warns Refugees Will Plot Muslim Takeover in the United States

And now the consequences

Ben Carson blames ‘PC culture’ for uproar over Muslim comments – video

Is it important for America to be a Judeo-Christian nation?

Dr. Ben Carson Believes we Should Not Have a Muslim President

US & EU IMMIGRATION CRISES: Engineered and Coordinated, Manipulated and Exploited

Muslim-Jewish council formed to fight for religious freedom in Europe

Donald Trump’s Twitter Q&A Went Either Very Wrong or Very Right

Open Source: Charlie Hebdo Mocks Europe’s Response to Migrant Crisis With Cartoons of Dead Syrian Boy

Dispatches from the Underclass

Crossposted from The Electronic Intifada

As most of the world looks on in horror at Europe’s atrocious response to refugees escaping war and persecution in the Middle East and Africa, some Israeli officials are quietly reveling in the chaos.

Dore Gold, director general of the Israeli foreign ministry, expressed optimism that the refugee influx will shift Europe to the right, making it more sympathetic to Israel’s “security” justification for its ongoing colonization of Palestine.

“Israel always faced the problem in the past that its national security perspective was completely out of sync with how Europeans were viewing the emergence of the European community and the borderless world that was emerging,” the American-born hardliner told The Jerusalem Post.

“In the European models that existed 25 or 30 years ago, it is kind of difficult to hear an Israeli argument. But now things may be beginning to change a little,”…

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Tag Archives: True Christians

The Culture Wars began when white American evangelicals took the activist playbook from the very Civil Rights leaders they opposed, to advance a moral agenda they could support.

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